MSG Free Garlic Ginger Fresh Herb Pesto
Bright, herby, and punchy with a little warmth from fresh ginger, this pesto is the kind of sauce that makes everything it touches taste more alive. Basil and flat-leaf parsley form a vibrant green base, while raw sunflower seeds stand in for the more traditional pine nuts, giving the finished sauce a pleasantly nutty depth without any bitterness. A spoonful of fresh ricotta rounds everything out, adding a creamy, slightly milky richness that makes the texture feel luxurious rather than oily. Store-bought pestos and jarred sauces are notorious for sneaking in additives, flavor enhancers, and preservatives that can be hard to spot on a label — making a homemade batch like this one a genuinely smart move. Every ingredient here is whole and straightforward, so you know exactly what you're eating. The food processor does most of the work in just a few minutes, and the result is a sauce with real texture and complexity that no jar can replicate. Toss it with pasta, spread it on toast, or swirl it into soup — it's endlessly useful and keeps beautifully in the freezer for whenever you need a flavor shortcut you can actually trust.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, packed
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- ¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup fresh ricotta
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
Add the basil, parsley, garlic, and ginger to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until the herbs are roughly broken down and the garlic and ginger are finely chopped.
- 2
Add the sunflower seeds and fresh ricotta. Pulse another 6–8 times until the seeds are coarsely ground and the mixture looks evenly combined but still has some texture.
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